Filament-dyeing apparatus



May 3,1927; .6 7.059

- S. A. NEIDICH FILAMENT I DYEI'NG APPARATUS Filed March 192s MVf/W'OR' Java 11. Min/cu, Q6: M

Patented May 3, 1927.

SAMUEL A. ummcn, or EDGEWATER PARK, NEW mnsmr.

FEAM ENT-DYEING APPARATUS.

Application filed Imh a, "1926. Serial No. 91,963.

My invention relates to the manufacture of filaments from viscose (cellulose sulphocarbonate or thiocarbonate) and may be employed witli. particular advantage in the production of coarse filaments such as artificial horse hair. I I

Liquid viscose may be coagulated or precipitated to form a gelatinous semi-solid cellulose hydrate com lex by progressively extruding a stream 0' it into a heated at- 'mosphere or into an aqueous solution containing a suitable acid, for mstance, sulphuric or hydrochloric aicd, or containing an acid salt such as sodium bi-sulphite or ammonium chloride either with or without neutral salts or dehydrators, or both.

Ordinarily, such filaments are dried, and then massed by winding them in skeins or on spools and thereafter dyed by sub-merg- 2 ing such dried masses of the filaments 1n the vats of ordinary dyeing apparatus, and there after again dried. Therefore, a very considerable portion of the cost of such dyed filaments is incident to the numerous ma nipulations of such masses of filaments 1ncluding placing them in and removing them from the dye vats to drying apparatus, etc. Such dried filaments are largely used in the millinery trade, in thefforni of braids, etc. and difliculty is experienced in producing the diversified colors required. For instance, the trade chart for the present season includes one hundred twenty distinct colors. Therefore, if ordinary dyeing apparatus is employed, as aforesaid, a large item of the cost is incident to the necessity for thoroughly cleaning such apparatus after it has been used with one color before using it with another. Therefore. the ordinary methods and means for dyeing aforesaid not only add a large factor of cost to the aggregate cost of production of the dyed products but materially limit the quantity producible with a given equipment.

Therefore, the object and effect of my invention include the avoidance of the ne cessity for employing such ordinary dyeing apparatus and the cost in labor and time incident to the employment of the same and to provide a method and means whereby such ilamcnts may be dyed of any desired shade or tint at minimum cost. As hereinafter described such advantages are attained by dyeing each filament singly, as fast as it is being extruded, and before it is initially dried, and by running it singly into and out of a mere pan containing an extremely di lute dye liquor, in which the single filament is directedin submerged position byanordinary pig tail thread guide. 1 i

In the form of my invention hereinafter described; the dyeing operation is effected with respect to each single filament immediately before it passes to a drying reel ofthe character described and claimed in Letters Patent of the'United States 1,568,686 granted to me January 5. 1926. I

My invention includesthe various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In said drawings; Fig. I. is a diagrammatic end View of my patented filament drying apparatus aforesaid with my present invention associated therewith.

Fig. II is a diagrammatic side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a larger elevation of the dye pan indicated in Fig. I.

, Fig. IV is a larger elevation of said pan and its Fig. II, but tion to show ment.

In said figures; 1 indicates a single filament of gelatinous semi-solid cellulose hydrate formed by extruding viscose into a coagulating medium and still moist with the dye appurtenances as indicated in with a portion; thereof 1n seethe construction and arrangewater and other liquid contents of the original viscose and. the coagulating medium. Each such filament is directed through a guide eye 2 so as tobe submerged in a dilute dye liquor 3 which is conveniently contained in a simple rectangular pan 5.

With a filament adapted to form a four hundred fifty denier artificial horse hair, and which when presented to said dye liquor 3 is about twice the diameter that it will be when it is dried; the pathin which such filament is sul'imerged in said dye liquor need not he more than six inches long, when the filament is traversing the same at the rate of four hundred yards per minute. Although any suitable dyes may be employed: I prefer to use those of the basic type. \Vith such submergence and rate of traverse of the filament; I find that from one quarter to three grams of dye to live liters ofwater forms a. dye liquor of adequate strength.

Although the thread guide 2 may be supported in any convenient manner; I prefer to mount it in the. shaft 7, which is conveniently formed of wood and journaled in the sides of the pan 5 upon screws 8 extending through the pan in engagement with said shaft; said screws holding said shaft in such frictional engagement with the side walls of saidpan that although it may becrotated by hand to turn the guide 2 with its eye above the surface of the liquor to conveniently thread the filament therethrough; said shaft is frictionally detained in any position in which it may be manually set, and is thus held in the position shown, by the heads of said screws exterior to said container.

The dyed filament 1 rising from the pan 5 as above described is arranged to be wound upon the reel 10, to which it passes over the guide 11 which maybe of the specific construction described and claimed in my Letters Patent aforesaid, or otherwise: and

which is movable back and forth throughout.

the length of said reel upon which the filament is to be wound. Said reel is conveniently formed of opposite end wheel frames 13 rigidly mounted upon the shaft 14 and rigidly connected by the circumferential series of slats'15. Said shaft is so journaled as to be freely rotated by the electric motor 17 which has the pulley 18 driving the belt 19 extending around the distal end wheel frame-13 as indicated in Fig. I. Said belt 19 also extends around the pulley 21 of the bobbin winding device 22. which may be of the specific character described in my Letters Patent aforesaid, or of any other suitable construction;

The apparatus above described may be operated continuously to dye and dry a single filament 1 and to wind the dried filament upon a series of bobbins 23 which may be successively connected with said winding device 22. However, such a filament may be wound upon said reel so as to form a mass several inches thick thereon as indicated at 25 in Fig. I and when thus charged said reel may be continuously rotated until the entire mass of dved filament is dried. Moreover, a plurality of such filaments 1 may be individually dyed in respective dye pans 5 and withdrawn thence upon the same reel. In any one of the three cases: an essential feature of the o eration is that the dye liquor carried by the filament 1 from the pan or pans 5 is distributed circumferentially and centrifugallv with respect to the filament upon the reel. by the rotation of the latter: insuring sub tantial uniformity in the dyed effect. I find it convenient to provide said reel with the brake band 27 which extends around one of said wheel frames 13 from its point of attachment on the stationary fixture 28. to the brake pedal 29 by which said brake may be applied with more or less friction. Furthermore, in any of the three cases aforesaid the dyeing operation is effected at the minimum cost for upparatus, time and material; such operation being effected during the same time heretofore required for producing the initially dried filament, and the means for effecting the same being so simple as to render the cost of changing from one dye color to another practically negligible.

The essential features of my invention are that the dyeing operation is effected upon each filament separately during the axial progression of that filament through the dye liquor and that even distribution of the dye liquor upon the filaments is effected by centrifugal force generated by said axial progression; Therefore, I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention as defiried in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. ln filament dyeing apparatus; the combination with a rotary drying reel; of means arranged to rotate said reel at such high speed as to develop a considerable centrifugal force in filaments wound thereon; means arranged to direct filaments upon said reel, in a helical path, by reciprocation of the directing means axially with respect to the reel; means arranged to pass extruded viscose filaments singly axially through dye liquor during their traverse toward said reel from the place of their extrusion and before they are initially dried, including a container pan for dye liquor; a shaft extending horizontally in said container; means holding said shaft in frictional engagement with said container, including screws extending axially in said shaft through opposite walls of said container, and having heads exterior to said walls; and a guide extending radially from said shaft and having an eye for a single filament, adapted to be turned by said shaft, to and from a position of submergence in the dye liquor in said container. and be frictionally detained in the position in which it is set.

2. In filament dyeing apparatus; the combination with a rotary drying reel; of means arranged to rotate said reel at such high speed as to develop a considerable centrifugal force in filaments wound thereon; means arranged to direct filaments upon said reel, in a helical path; means arranged to pass extruded, viscose filaments singly axially through dye liquor during their traverse toward said reel from the place of their extrusion and before they are initially dried, including a container pan for dye liquor; a rock shaft in saidcontainer; means holding said shaft in frictional engagement with said containerpand a filament guide carried by said shaft, having an eye for a single filalllll llU 3, In filament dyeing apparatus; the com bination with a rotary drying reel; of means arranged to rotate said reel at such high speed as to develop a considerable centrifugal forcein filaments wound thereon; means arranged to direct filaments upon said reel, in a helical path; means arranged to pass extruded viscose filaments singly axially through dye liquor during their traverse toward said reel from the place of their extrusion and before they are initially dried, including a container pan for dye liquor; a rock shaft in said container; and a filament guide carried by said shaft, having an eye fora single filament, and adapted to be turned by said shaft, to and from a position of submerg'ence in the dye liquor in said container.

4. In filament dyeing apparatus; the combination with a rotary drying reel; of means arranged to rotate said reel at such high speed as to develop'a considerable centrifugal force' in filaments wound thereon; means arranged to pass extruded viscose filaments singly axially through dye liquor during their traverse toward said reel from the lace of. their extrusion and before they are initially dried,'including a container for dye liquor; and a guide having an eye for a single filament, adapted to be moved to and from a position of submergence in the dye liquor in said container, and be frictionall detained in the osition in which it. is set.

5. In filament yeing apparatus; the combination with a rotary drying reel; of means arranged to pass extruded viscose filaments singly axially through dye liquor during their traverse toward said reel from the place of their extrusion and before they are Initially dried, including a container for dye liquor; and a guide having an eye for a single filament, adapted to be moved to and from a position of submergenee in the dye liquor in said container.

6. In filament dyeing apparatus; the combination with means arranged to pass extruded viscose filaments singly axially through dye liquor during their traverse from the place of their extrusion and before they are initially dried, including a container for dye liquor and a guide having an eye for a single filament adapted to be moved to and. from a position of submergence in the dye liquor in said container; of rotary means arranged to axially progress such filaments; and means arranged to hold each such dyed filament, extended, until it dries.

7, Means arranged to pass extruded viscose filaments singly axially through dye liquor during their traverse from the place of their extrusion to the place where they are initially dried, including a container pan for dye liquor; a shaft extending horizontally in said container; means holding said shaft in frictional engagement with said container; and a filament guide carried by said shaft and having an eye for a single filament. adapted to be turned by said shaft, to and from a'position of submergence in the dye liquor in said container, and be frictionally detained in the position in which it is set.

8. In filament dyeing apparatus; means arranged to axially progress single filaments formed by extrusion of a colloid, including a rotary reel, means arranged to rotate said reel atsuch high speed as to develop considerable centrifugal effect in filaments,-

wound thereon; means to direct filaments to, be wound in helical paths on said real; and dyeing means interposed between the place of extrusion'of said filaments and said reel, including a container for dye liquor and a guide for a single filament extending below the liquor level in said container, so constructed and arranged as to compel the'filaments to pass singly through said. liquor.

In testimony \vhereof, I have hereunto signed myname at Burlington, New Jerse this twenty-seventh day of January, 1926.

' SAMUEL A. NEIDICH. 

